Second, Third streets about to become two-way in Midtown, New Center

Related Tags

Life is about to get easier for pedestrians in Midtown and New Center around Wayne State University as the latest phase of construction begins for the Midtown Loop and Second and Third avenues become two-way streets.

Work is set to begin today on turning Second Avenue into a two-way street between I-94 and West Grand Boulevard in New Center. A similar project for Third Avenue between Ledyard and Forrest streets is set to break ground on Monday. Both streets are multi-lane, one-way thoroughfares that cut through Wayne State University's campus. The hope is to ease traffic flow and slow down motorists.

"Hopefully this will help in several ways in slowing traffic down," says Jon Frederick, director of parking & transportation services at Wayne State University. "You are consolidating lanes and making motorists more aware with the addition of on-coming traffic."

Second Avenue will receive new LED street lighting. Third Avenue will receive bike lanes in both directions and maintain parking on both sides of the street. Work is expected to wrap up in mid July.

The second phase of the Midtown Loop construction began in mid-April on the southern edge of the loop, turning a square of sidewalks along Cass, Kirby Street, John R and Canfield into a pedestrian friendly space with colorful sidewalks, benches, bike racks, landscaping and decorative lighting, among other amenities.